Do, Re, Mi
by NinjaNakkiOfCabin11
Summary: A-Z drabbles of my favorite PJO couple, Tratie! Warning: Not in order. At the end, I can tell how they go if you want... "Dammit, Travis, I hate you!" "Why, Kates, this deeply wounds me." (CURRENTLY BEING REWRITTEN)
1. A is for APL

**A/N: Kay, so I should update Epic Fail, and work on LOVE Spelled Backwards is EVOL (Which from here on out, I am referring to as "LOVE-EVOL") but I promised this a looong time ago. So this is me keeping that promise. =) This isn't in order, remember. Anyway, I'll do my best to keep these original and at least three pages long on Microsoft Works Word Processor. Which, by the way, I do not own. I don't own A.P.L. either, which is where I got my cat, Dixie. =)**

**I don't own PJO, either. Or Mazda. Please Review!**

Chapter 1: A is for A.P.L.

"Why do we have to adopt a stupid cat?" Travis whined.

"Because they're adorable, that's why. What do you have against cats?" His fiancé, Katie, asked.

"Well, they're boring, and do nothing but sit around all day." He said with a nod.

"Like you?"

Travis glared at her. "I am not boring."

"But you sit around all day. The only time you get up is to eat, use the toilet, and prank a poor, unsuspecting, innocent person. Namely, me." She said, pulling her silver Mazda 3 into the parking lot of the Animal Protection League.

"I don't prank you! Anymore, at least." Travis unbuckled, but sat there with his arms crossed.

"Well, are you going to help me pick out a cat or what?" She asked, unbuckling.

"I'm gonna go with 'or what'."

Katie sighed. "You know what, fine. Whatever." She opened the car door.

"I'll go…if we can get a dog."

Katie stopped in the middle of getting out. "What?"

"I said, I'll go if we can get a dog."

Katie sat back down, closed the door, and turned towards her fiancé. "But I want a cat."

"Well, I want a dog." Travis said indignantly.

"I don't want a dog."

"And I don't want a cat."

Katie and Travis glared at each other. Seconds ticked by. Nobody blinked or looked away.

"You look away first." Katie dared, her immature side showing a bit.

"No, you look away first."

"You."

"No, you."

"No, you!"

"You!"

"Fine!" Katie snapped. She tore her eyes away and got out of the car.

Travis got out (grudgingly) too. "Why don't we get both?" He suggested.

Katie stared at him. "Cats and dogs hate each other, Travis. Your dog would eat my cat, or my cat would claw your dogs' eyes out. We can't get both."

"Oh."

"We're getting a cat. We already discussed this. Cat, no dog. End of discussion." She told him. She pulled her coat closer to her and turned around, walking towards the door to the building.

"Why can't we get a new one, at least?" Travis said, scurrying after her.

Katie stopped in her tracks and whirled around. "We are adopting a cat. These poor things have been abused and mistreated. We are giving them a good, caring loving home. A second chance, if you will."

"Why don't we save a dog, too?"

Katie sighed and rubbed her temples. "No."

"Why?"

"I already told you why. Plus, you can't care for a dog. They're too much responsibility. They require a lot of care and exercise."

"Well…you're responsible. You can take care of it!"

"I don't want to take care of it. I don't want a dog."

"Well, I do!"

Katie thought a moment. If she got a dog, Travis would have to take care of it. It could make him responsible, and he would have to get up off his lazy bum to give it exercise. It might not be too bad an idea, after all. She looked into Travis' eyes, which were all puppy-dog looking and wide. She sighed, giving in.

Travis knew by her defeated sigh that he was getting a dog. He broke into a grin.

"Fine. _One_ dog, must be cat friendly, 'cause we're getting one of those too, and _you_ have to feed it , take care of it, and play with it. You're responsible for it."

"Yes!" He crowed, pumping his fist into the air.

Travis and Katie made their way into the building, and to the front desk.

"We're her to adopt a cat-"

"And a dog!" Travis interrupted.

Katie sighed and rubbed her forehead.

"Yes, and a dog."

The receptionist smiled at them. She was a, erm, _large_ lady, with frizzy, curly red hair. Her nametag said LUWANDA. "Oh, it's so nice to see that you young kids are adopting, cute, mistreated little critters!" She boomed. She pushed a form towards Katie, who in turn filled it out and passed it back. After proving their I.D.'s, Luwanda pointed them in the direction of the show rooms.

After thanking her, Katie took Travis' hand and led him into the cat room. "Aw, look at them!" She cooed, bending down to pet an orange tabby.

Travis stood stiffly in the doorway. "Um, yeah." A white longhair rubbed up against his leg. He let out a girly shriek and darted out the door.

Katie burst into hysterics. Travis, who was now watching through the glass window, glared.

Katie calmed down and searched around. Siamese, no. Himalayan, no. She looked at all the cats, but none were just right. She turned around, about to leave, when a small, black, furry ball in the corner caught her eye.

She slowly moved toward it. She reach out her hand and lightly brushed it. As she did, and little head popped up and looked at her. It's eyes were a brilliant, glowing, blue. She gasped, and picked the cat up. She took it over to the scanner on the wall. She scanned the chip in the cat (Yes, that's what they really do). The device revealed that the cat was 3 months old, a male, and it's name was Dark.

She turned to Travis, who was watching her through the glass. _This is the one._ She mouthed to him. She walked towards the door, gently nudging the other cats away, and exited.

"What's it's name?" Travis asked as they made their way to the dog room.

"_His_ name." Katie scrunched up her nose in disgust. "Dark. I'm definitely changing it."

"Good idea." Travis said. Dark reached her paw out towards him, and he lunged away with a whimper.

Katie laughed. "What's wrong?"

"Cats…hate cats…" He murmured as he pushed through the dog room door.

With a giggle, Katie and Dark went to the window to watch Travis pick out his dog. He immediately went to the corner where the puppies were. He picked through them for a while, face impassive. Suddenly his face lit up. He picked a Australian Shepherd puppy up, who licked his nose. He laughed, then turned to the scanner. After assessing the scanner's information, he nodded, smiled, and turned to Katie.

_Found the one._ He mouthed.

_Cat-friendly?_ She mouthed back. He nodded.

_Kid friendly?_ She mouthed. He froze, staring at her.

"Like, if your brother has kids and comes over." She shouted quickly, hoping he heard her. Relief washed over his face. He glanced at the scanner, then nodded. He came out.

"Boy or girl?" She asked him, trying to forget what had just happened.

"Girl." He said scratching the puppy's head.

"Name?" Katie asked, absent-mindedly stroking Dark.

"Paws." He grumbled.

"These people suck at naming." She noted as they reached the lobby.

"Agreed." He whispered.

The couple approached the front desk to fill out the adoption forms for their animals.

"Oh, good thing they're both young. This way, they have a better chance at getting along because they'll grow up together." Luwanda said with a smile. "Are you re-naming them?" She inquired, pen poised to write.

They nodded. Travis held the puppy up and looked into her eyes. "Cammie." He said, putting her down.

"Okay, then. You, sweetie?" Luwanda said, asking Katie.

"Umm…" She thought a moment. Truth be told, she sorta liked Dark. But not that much. She looked at the cat. "MidNyte. Spelled capital M, lower case "i" , d, then capital N, lower case y, t, e." She spelled. Luwanda nodded and wrote the names down, along with breed, age, gender, and owner contacts. Then she stamped them, putting them away.

"Adoption complete!" She smiled. She handed them two carriers: One big and one small. "Cammie's gonna grow." She added, noting their confused look. "Take care!" She waved as the owners put their animals in the cages and walked out the door. "We have many cats, almost too much, so we're delighted that you adopted one, and hope you may adopt another again soon!" She called.

"Oh, GOD no." Travis said forcefully.

**A/N: To all who have pets named Paws and Dark: no offense. I actually kinda like Dark, but just not that much. Anyway, this was just about them getting their two family pets, which will have their pictures posted on my profile soon. They're in this story later, too. This was random and not-tat-good, but it's just chapter 1: 25 chapters to go! Anyway, the APL isn't terrible at naming, because my cat was named by them. Anyway, please review and vote on my poll! Ciao!**

**Read on and Rock out,**

**NinjaNakkiOfCabin11**


	2. B is for Busted

**A/N: Hola! This chapter's title and general idea came from Lucia Diana-Ninja Queen, so three cheers for the chica! **

**You can submit your ideas for an up-coming chapter it the form of a review (hint hint, nudge nudge) or a PM. All it takes to review is 1) Click the magical blue button below, 2) Type in any random name, 3) Tell me what you think of this chapter, and 4) Click "Submit Feedback/Review". So, please! **

**Sorry, things came up and I typed this up half-heartedly. I feel like I let you guys down. =(**

**I don't own PJO.**

B is for Busted

The cool night air rushed around Travis and his brother, Connor, as he worked his magic on the lock on the camp store's door.

_Click._

"We're in!" He whispered excitedly to his brother. He pushed open the door, not even bothering to hold his breath to wait for the alarms. He trusted his younger sibling's skills for disarming alarms.

The Stoll brothers pushed their way into the store and looked around. Travis immediately ran to the snack foods isle, while Connor ran over to the drinks.

Travis unzipped his backpack and started to shove anything he could grab into it. Poptarts, Candy bars, Chips, Gum, you name it, Travis grabbed it.

He zipped his pack back up. "You ready, bro?" He stage-whispered.

"Yeah." Connor whispered back. Together, they hurried to the door and slipped out the door. Travis re-locked the door and Connor re-armed the alarm system, to make it look as if they were never there.

They brothers turned to each other and high-fived, congratulating each other on yet _another_ clean snatch. They had practically gotten away scot-free.

The two turned and darted over to the bathrooms in the middle of the U. This was almost too easy. They scanned the area for anyone who might see them. They were about to go, when suddenly:

_Flush._

The brothers froze where they were and held their breath. Seconds ticked by. A creak sounded as a bathroom door swung open. They waited a few minutes, until they were almost sure the person in the bathroom had gone away. They started to creep to the edge of the building, towards the Hermes cabin.

"Just _what_ do you think you're doing?"

The boys spun around to come face-to-face with a very tired and angry head counselor- of the Demeter cabin.

"K-Katie, I, uh…" Travis began. His eyes flicked to his little brother _was_ standing. He craned his neck to see Connor dashing across the yard to Cabin 11. He began to sprint after him, but something caught him on the ankles, not letting go. He looked down. _Strawberry Vines_. With a sigh, he turned back to Katie.

She stood with her arms crossed and her foot tapping. "Well? I'm waiting. And I'm not leaving until I get a good answer." She said.

He looked around. "I, uh, was just, um, looking for…my cat! Yeah, my cat!"

Katie sighed. "Wow. That, just, wow." She shook her head. "Your cat, Travis? Really? Now that's just sad. Connor must be rubbing off on you. You don't even _have_ a cat."

Now, for those of you who don't know Travis, he did _not_ like being laughed at. Or made fun of. Least of all by our dear Katie Gardener. Even though, I assure you, he was very used to it.

"No, really, Miss Know-It-All. My cabin, being the dears that we are, found a stray cat and decided to keep it. It was, you know, _traveling_. And Hermes is the god of Travelers and such." He lied with a smug smile.

"And the god of thieves." Katie glared at him. "Open the backpack."

"Now, Katie, my dear, why would I do that, when I could…" Travis paused for dramatic effect. He slung his arm around her shoulder. "Take you on a date." He finished with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"What?" Katie sputtered, shrugging off his arm. "I will _never_ go on a date with you as long as I live, Travis."

"Ooh, I see what you did there. "As long as you live." But nothing about after you die…" Travis grinned.

Katie groaned and put her head in her hands.

Travis was losing her. He needed to step up his game- time for pickup lines.

"Do you come around here often?" He decided to begin with something simple.

"I live here, you dolt."

"Um, yeah, right. I mean like, around _here_." He gestured to their surroundings.

"You mean behind the bathrooms?"

Travis sighed. This was going to be harder than he thought. The good thing though, was that he had distracted her from telling on him. And he got to spend more time with Gardener. Not that he cared. Pshht.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ "Please, Travis, I beg you. Stop trying pickup lines. It's been, like, a half-hour."

He was loosing her. This usually didn't happen. He was always smooth, slick, and a magnet to the ladies. Why was _Gardner_ any different?

A sly smirk formed on his face. "Fine, then. I'll just pick you up." Before she could say or do anything, Travis swept her up in his arms and held her, bridal style.

"What the-? Travis, put me down or I will kill you in painful, colorful, creative ways!" she shrieked.

"Why should I?"

"I will slit your throat with my dagger if you don't, that's why." Katie threatened.

Travis carried her over to a nearby tree. Fortunately, there was a low-hanging branch, low enough for Travis to dump Katie onto it, but high enough that she couldn't get down with out help. He dumped on the branch.

"Travis, don't be surprised if you wake up one morning and find my dagger in your-"

"Now now, Katie-Bug, that is not how we talk to the God of Awesomeness and Sexy Hair."

"You mean Apollo? What does any of this have to do with him?"

"No, Katie, I'm talking about me." Travis sighed.

"Oh. I thought that you were the God of Jerks, Liars, and Pranks." Katie glared at him as she clung to the tree trunk, trying not to fall off. Behind her, the full moon washed over her, and for the first time Travis saw what she was wearing.

She was wearing a pale blue silky tank top with matching pants. A little bow and a few ruffles were the only decorations. Simple, yet perfect.

Katie caught him staring. "What?"

"N-nothing." He stuttered, looking away. He took a deep breath to recollect his remarkable coolness. His smirk returned, and he turned back to Katie, who was currently trying to burn holes through Travis with her glare.

Why didn't she just get down using her Demeter-y powers, because, well, she _is_ in a tree, you might ask. We don't know, we would answer. Was it possible…that Katie didn't want down? Ha, no, she was just too tired to think straight.

"Well, well, well, Katie Gardener, you are in quite the predicament. There's no one around here to help you don't but me, and I don't think I wanna do that."

Suddenly, Katie remembered how she got up there in the first place. "Well, when I do get down, this _will_ also be mentioned to Chiron when I tell him about you and Connor robbing the Camp Store.

"_I was looking for my cat!"_

Katie snorted and rolled her eyes. "Yeah, right. That's impossible, because that would be you caring AND responsible. And that will happen when Hell freezes over."

"Wow, Gardener, that really hurt." He put his hand over his heart in mock shock and hurt.

"When I get down for here, you really will hurt."

"I can't wait for that. I hope that's a promise, not a threat." He smirked, and he waggled his eyebrows suggestively.

Katie groaned. "Oh my Gods, you're impossible.."

"Impossibly hot, you mean."

"Yes, I am mean when idiots take me hostage in the middle of the freaking night and they shove me in a freaking tree behind the freaking bathrooms." Katie snarled.

"Idiots? Where?" Travis looked around in mock confusion.

"Just give it up, Travis, I've won- your getting in trouble, your plan failed, and I won't go out with you- face it, you're busted." Katie said smugly.

Travis raised an eyebrow at her. "You don't have to go out with me; I don't really care. As for you ratting me out: You little nark! Why?" He cried dramatically, getting on his knees.

For some reason, Katie felt a wave of disappointment when Travis said he didn't care that she wouldn't go out with him. She brushed it aside and focused on glaring at the boy below her. "Because stealing is wrong, Travis. And so is taking people hostage."

"I'm not holding you hostage," Travis began, getting up and approaching the tree. He looked up at her. "You're free to leave whenever you want. If you can." Travis snickered. He began to scale the tree.

Katie tightened her grip on the trunk and cautiously watched Travis climb. Travis maneuvered around her arms and sat down on the branch next to her. He was glad the branch was thick and sturdy, and didn't even waver the slightest when he got on.

He turned to her. "Are you sure you don't want to go on that date? Are you still gonna tell?" He inched closer.

Poor, sleepy, little Katie was too tired to process what was happening before his lips were on hers. Her eyes widened in surprise as he pinned her against the trunk for a moment. She did in fact, and she will deny this if you ever ask her, kiss him back. Unfortunately, he pulled away from her before she could do much of anything, taking his cinnamon-tasting lips with him.

She stared at him, wide-eyed an breathless. He looked into those pools of emerald that were her eyes. His smirk returned.

"How 'bout now?" He asked.

Katie didn't reply, whether that was because she didn't know anymore, or because she was shocked speechless.

He chuckled. "By the way, I hate cats."

And with that, he jumped down from the branch and slipped away into the night.

Which would have been a brilliant ending, except he had left Katie stranded up in that tree.

**A/N: Sorry it was kinda short, and I didn't really like it, but I was pretty pleased with the ending. So, submit your story ideas and tell me what you think when you review. (Hint hint) =) And for the record, yes, Travis really did care that she said no to a date. But maybe now, she'll say yes…;) Love you guys!**

**Read on and Rock out,**

**NinjaNakkiOfCabin11**


	3. C is for Chicken

**A/N: Sorry for the wait, but I got busy- lots of early softball practices, had to take lots of showers, did lots of chores, and you don't care…..**

**Anyway, someone requested C is for Chaste Tree, and I promise, I looked into it, but it would take a while to get everything sorted out and my facts about Chaste Trees all sorted, out, so I couldn't do that- Sorry. =(**

**But….I **_**can**_** do C is for Chicken! Thanks again to Lucia Diana-Ninja Queen for the idea! Please, send requests for upcoming letters! **

**I don't own PJO.**

C is for Chicken

"TRAVIIIIIS!"

The scream could be heard for miles around, mortal, demigod, God, and everything in between. Like in cartoons, birds flew away from the trees and everyone instantly sat up in their beds.

Well, everyone except Katie Gardener, that is.

Normally, our favorite daughter of Demeter got up earlier than everyone else, so she could take care of the flowers by the big house and be done in time to take a shower and lead her cabin to breakfast.

But, today, it was impossible for her to get up. And I mean, _literally _impossible.

Because, today, to sons of Hermes got up even earlier than Katie, and _super-glued _the cabin leader of Demeter _to. Her. Mattress. _

And our Demeter head counselor was _not_ happy. And she would get the boys to unglue her, even if it meant waking everyone up at some ungodly hour.

Katie watched as her siblings jolted awake, some of the older ones yanking weapons out from under their pillows, some younger ones actually falling out of bed.

She silently cursed her habit of being a _very_ heavy sleeper as her siblings gathered around their dear sister and watched her struggle, wide-eyed.

"Ohmigods, Katie! Are you alright?" Kayla, her younger sister, asked.

"Yes, Kayla, I'm super-glued to the damn mattress, but I am perfectly okay!" Katie snapped, laying on the sarcasm.

Kayla stared at her, not processing the sarcasm. "Oh. Uh, well then, if you're okay, then I'll go back to bed." She said with a shrug. She clambered back over to her bed. The younger ones, following Kayla's example, climbed back into their beds as well.

"No! Guys! Please!" Katie pleaded. The older siblings stood around Katie, not exactly sure what to do. They exchanged an uneasy glance.

"Um, well, I can go get Chiron…." Miranda said.

"Yes! Get Chiron. Please." She breathed.

Miranda turned around and disappear out the door.

"How….how did this happen?" Rick, her slightly younger brother, asked.

Katie sighed. "I don't know. Probably those f-(The rest of the word was drowned out by Kayla's snore) Stoll brothers. I will make them pay, so help me Demeter. And Travis…Travis especially. He thinks he's _sooo_ much better than me. But he's not." Katie snarled.

Rick gulped. When Katie made people pay, they _paid._

Chiron came galloping in a second later. "My gods, Katie, dear, what happened?" The centaur said in surprise. He probably thought Miranda was joking when she said her sister was glued to her mattress.

"The Stolls happened." Rick said gravely. Katie tried to nod, but it was impossible, what with her being glued down and all.

"Are you sure it was them?" Chiron asked, raising an eyebrow.

Katie opened her mouth to speak, but Miranda answered before Katie could.

"Positive. They've had it out for Katie, ever since she arrived." Miranda said with a nod.

Chiron sighed. "There is a lack of evidence, but good points have been made, and their record isn't the cleanest." He reached out a finger and touched the glue. He pulled back instantly. "Just as I suspected. A long time ago, in the 70's, I think, a few Hermes campers made a special pranking glue. I don't know what it's made of, how it's made, where they keep it, or anything, but I do know that only a Hermes camper can take it off of something. Once they get it off, you should be fine." Chiron explained. "I'l go get the boys now." He said. He turned around and galloped out the door.

Miranda surveyed me. "At least they had the good graces to keep your hair out of the glue." She said.

Katie realized it was true- her brown air was tied up on top of her head with a piece of rope, completely untouched by the glue. _Well, that's something, I suppose, _Katie thought with a sigh.

Chiron came back into the cabin, with part of a Stoll brother's shirt in each hand.

"What's going on, old man?" Connor said, rubbing his eyes. "I'm tryin' to sleep!"

Travis just kind of shuffled along, looking so tired, like he didn't even know who he was or where he was at.

"Boys," Chiron said sternly. "Did you glue Mrs. Gardner her to her mattress?" He asked.

Travis blinked ad looked up at Chiron. "No." He said. Just that: No.

"Really? Well, she's glued down with Hermes cabin glue. So if you didn't, who did?" He questioned.

"Not us, that's for sure." Connor said sweetly.

"Okay boys, get her out of this mess." Chiron sighed/demanded.

The boys shuffled forward, hovering over Katie, then mumbled a few words. Instantly, Katie was free of the glue, which filled itself up in a jar out of thin air, and dropped into Travis' hand.

Travis passed the glue to his brother. "Here ya go, bro. Put in the spot." Travis commanded.

Miranda plucked the jar out of Connor's hand with an amused smile on her face. "Actually, I should give this a label and put it in the attic, so future generations can have a good laugh at this situation." Miranda giggled. Katie glared at her sister while the boys just stared at her.

Miranda turned around and flounced out the dor, jar in hand.

"Boys." Chiron said sternly. "Kitchen duty, 3 weeks." Then, he too turned and exited, the boy's complaints brushed off with the flick of his tial.

"Dammit, Travis, I hate you!"

It was an hour until lunch, and Katie had Travis cornered in the woods.

"Why, Kates, this deeply wounds me." Travis said, placing a hand over his heart with a mock-hurt expression on his face.

Katie's eyes blazed, and it took all of her self-control not to let the trees around them rip him to shreds. "Why did you glue me to my bed?" She shouted.

"Why does the sun rise every morning?" Travis asked the question in response to Katie's.

She knew where he was going, but she just wanted to be difficult. "Because Apollo drives his sun chariot across the sky?"

Travis sighed. "Geez, Katie. I don't know. Just 'cause I could. Happy?"

No! You always act like you're better than me, when you're not!"

"Like you're better than me?"

"Yes!"

"Really? Well, let's see whose better at racing." Travis said smugly.

Katie gulped. Racing with a son of Hermes was a stupid thing to do. But, unfortunately, her stubborn-ness got in the way. "Sure!" She countered.

"Fine. From here to the lake and back. No cheating, shortcuts, or tricks. A good, clean race." Travis said.

"Alright, then!" She said. "And if I win, you have to streak around the camp, singing Baby by Justin Bieber." She said, trying to think of the most embarrassing thing she could.

"Fine! But if _I _win, then you have to stand by the foutain in the middle of the cabin, and shriek at every boy that you see to "Smack your Granny Panties!" and you turn around and wiggle your butt."

This snapped Katie out of her anger-induced thoughts. "What? No way!"

"What are you, chicken?" Travis asked. He began to bauk like a chicken and strut around.

"Bak bak bak, chicken!" He cowed.

"No, I'm not! That's just to much."

"Yes, you are!"

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"Not!"

"Chicken!"

"Uh-uh!"

"Bak bak bak!"

"Fine!" Katie snapped, her anger returning.

Travis grinned like a boy in a candy shop. "Great, then let's get going!"

He led Katie over to a tree and drew a line on the ground with a stick. "The Start/Finish line." He explained.

They lined themselves up. "Three….two…one!" They counted down together. They took off, tearing down the trail. Travis easily pulled far ahead, reached the lake, and spun around as Katie appeard out of the woods. He grinned, but slowed down, trying to have a little mercy on the daughter of Demeter.

She saw and took advantage of it to pull ahead. They crossed the line. At. The. Exact. Same. Time.

They stood, panting.

"So…what happens now?"

And so, that, my friends, is how Katie Gardner called for boys to smack her granny panties, while Travis Stoll ran around naked, singing "Baby" at the top of his lungs.

Both scarred people for life.

**A/N: Done! Review, loves! Please! I don't own J.B. or Baby, either. Sorry, Bliebers, I just don't really like him. Reviews feed the author!**

**Read on and Rock out,**

**NinjaNakkiOfCabin11**


	4. D is for Dance

**A/N: Guess who's back? ME! (-like you couldn't already guess XP) ANYHOO, I'm finally updating- and thanks for everyone who submitted ideas, I wish I could use them all! However, since I can only do one (Stupid alphabet =P) let's give a special round of applause for LuckyTigger, who I guess really IS lucky, because her idea set off the special "Writer" spark in my mind…and when I'm in the zone, well, there's no stopping me till I'm done. Just ask Ginga-In-Ravenclaw. =P Love you, chicas! And chicos! And everyone who reviewed, alerted, or favorited! WARNING: THIS IS A LOOONG CHAPTER. OH, and can you catch the line from Stepbrothers, which I don't own? ;) And now…..**

**ONWARD, CHAUNCEY! **

**Haha random=D**

**I don't own PJO. Or Klondike bars, or their jingle. Or McDonalds and their food.**

"I SWEAR TO ZEUS IF YOU TOUCH ME, YOU WILL DIE!"

The cry echoed out across the camp, making all the newbies raised their heads in question, but the rest of camp barely gave it a thought.

Because they were used to mornings like this. The mornings when one boy pushed his luck with a cranky daughter of Demeter.

This girl's last name happened to be centered around planting plants, too.

But her name was not Katie.

Her name was Miranda.

And the boy was Connor Stoll.

Who, admittedly, was currently running through the camp with a giant red welt on the side of his face while Miranda chased after him angrily with an old flyswatter.

Sleep-deprived and bleary-eyed, Katie Gardener appeared in the Demeter cabin's door, a glare already placed on her face. "Stoll!" She yelled.

The "Stoll" she was referring to was the one and only Travis Stoll. Who was actually sitting, shirtless, on Cabin 11's small front porch in a large green plastic lawn chair, a tall glass of iced water in his hand and a lopsided grin on his face.

"Yes, ma'dear?" He asked waving at her, eyes shining.

Katie marched across the lawn in a huff, her little adorable fluffy bunny slippers making squeaking sounds as they hit the hard ground. She stomped up the stairs of Cabin 11 and stood directly in front of the boy, her arms crossed over her chest.

"You know, the "angry-and-out-for-blood" mood you've got going on is pretty much ruined with your-"

Katie clamped a pale hand over his mouth. "Don't." She stated simply.

Suddenly, Travis' tongue poked out of his mouth, licking Katie's hand. "EW!" Katie shrieked, snatching her hand back.

Travis just laughed.

Angry, grossed out, and red-faced, Katie raised her hand above her head, as if to strike him across the face. Travis shrunk back into his chair slightly and braced him self.

However, Katie kept her hand above her head and glared.

Still tensed, but confused as to why he hadn't been hit, Travis opened his eyes.

"Tell your brother to stop waking my _entire freaking cabin _up at _5:30 _in the _morning_ to serenade my sister, who obviously has no interest!" She demanded, still posed to strike. "Why are you even _up _right now?"

"….To see the show…."

Katie closed her eyes and slowly counted to ten to get her anger in check. "The…..show…is over." She said through gritted teeth, glaring.

Travis put his water down next to him and clapped. "And _quite_ the show, if I do say so myself. My brother's voice is like a mix of Fergie and Jesus."

Katie laughed out loud. "That is the most bass-ackwards thing I've ever heard….."

Travis smirked. "I can't wait for the encore."

Katie stopped laughing. "Encore? Hell-to-the-mother-chucking _no_."

"Oh, come on, Katie, darling. I thought it was lovely."

"_Lovely?" _Katie shouted. "Connor freaking _reached into the window_ and tried to _touch _Miranda's hair! She's been chasing him for, like, half an hour!"

Travis feigned surprise. "Really? I didn't suggest that in any way, shape, or form. And besides, didn't you know? Connor's gonna do that allll week 'till she says yes!"

"No! Please! Not again!" Katie begged.

The smirk reappeared on Travis' face again. "What would you do-ooo, for a full night's sleep?" He sang, to the tune of the _Klondike Bar_ jingle.

Katie glared. "I don't know….what's your price?" She asked suspiciously.

"A date."

"What? No, never!"

"But not just _any_ date, Katie love."

"What? And I'm _not_ your 'love'!"

"A date…to the Solstice Dance."

"….."

"So…?"

"Is that all?"

"Yes. Well, you have to do all the things the other girls will do with their dates, like, eat together, dance together, talk to each other, and stuff like that."

"….Why?"

"…I'm not quite sure what you're asking…"

"Why do you want me as your date?"

"Why are you wearing bunny slippers?" Travis shrugged.

"Why don't you have a shirt on?"

"The answers to these questions? The world just may never know…." Travis said. "Sooo…is that a yes?"

"Sure."

"Sure?"

"Yeah, whatever."

"Really?"

"Ha! No, _never_!"

"Oh." They both pretended not to hear the disappointment in his voice.

"Just kidding."

"Oh! Wait….what?"

"What what?"

"You're confusing me…."

"I'm confusing myself, actually…"

"So….you're going with me?"

"….yes. IF you and Connor will leave us to a good night's sleep."

Travis grinned triumphantly. "Of course. But could you call off your mutt?"

Katie's eyes smoldered. "You did _not _just refer to Miranda as a _mutt_."

"Well, Katie-bug, technically, we're _all_ mutts, us being half-bloods and all." Travis said with a nod.

Katie just sighed. "I will tell Miranda to quit, but after this ONE stupid dance-date, you have to leave us _alone_." She emphasized "alone" with a hard glare. "Or I _will_ hurt you." She finished, threatening menacingly.

"Yes, I fear you and your ferocious bunny slippers, O Mighty One." "Why, you-"

"The squeaking noises the bunnies emit are enough to scare off a Hydra and Minotaur, so do not be surprised if-"

_SMACK!_

Naturally, Katie smacked him just when he let his guard down.

"_OW!"_

"Dumbass."

***~ONE WEEK LATER- THE DAY OF THE SOLSTICE DANCE~***

"Katiiiiiee!" Kayla whined, trying to walk across the Demeter cabin in too big, too high high-heels.

Katie laughed from her place on the vanity seat. "Take those off, Kay."

"No, I want to wear them tonight so I can slow dance with Johnny!" Kayla protested.

"You can't even walk in those, let alone slow dance in them." Miranda chimed in as she flipped through her magazine.

You see, it was 2:00 in the afternoon, and the dance started at five. Therefore, Chiron called off all of the day's activities to prepare for the dance- at Aphrodite's request, of course. Because this was not just any dance. This was the Solstice Dance. Where every god on Olympus came down to Camp Half-Blood and mingled and danced alongside their children.

"I can too!" Kayla said indignantly.

Rick fumbled with his bow-tie. "Can someone help me?" He pleaded.

"Me!" Kayla piped up She made her way over to the flustered boy, but trip and fell with a squeal.

Miranda burst into laughter. "Told ya!" She taunted, ignoring the younger girl's glare. "I think it's just too cute, though." She said, going serious.

"Johnny Mayer from Athena asked _me_, Kayla Route, to the _Solstice Dance_!" Kayla squealed like the little girl she was and got up, just to topple back down. "And I _will _slow dance with him."

"The only thing more adorable, though," Miranda said, a wicked gleam in her eye. "Is that Katie is going with Travis Stoll!"

Rick stopped trying to tie his bow. "What?" "Miranda!" Katie hissed, whirling around to face her sister. "I said not to tell anyone!"

"Oopsies." Miranda said innocently. "Sorr-eee."

Kayla sat up, stunned. "No way!" She shouted. The rest of the Demeter kids began either squealing, laughing, or sat in stunned silence.

Katie turned back around and began furiously putting on some of her new high-gloss light pink lipstick.

"Katie and Travis, sittin' in a tree…."

"Really, Miranda? How old are you, six?"

"K-I-S-S-I-N-G!"

"Oh my gods!"

"But with love and mutual respect for how far the other is willing to go.

"…"

"…nice touch, Mir."

"I thought so."

**~*Meanwhile, in the Hermes Cabin…~***

"How in Hades do you tie a freakin' bow tie?" Travis demanded angrily.

Elizabeth, his 14-year-old sister, rolled her eyes. "You _are _an idiot." She reached up and tied his deep purple tie.

"I still can't believe she said yes." Connor said, struggling to tie his own tie.

"Well, you'd better believe it, 'cause she did, and she's my date." Travis said triumphantly.

"I still can't believe you're wearing that stupid purple tie." Elizabeth said, shaking her head sadly.

"Yeah, I agree with Lizzy. You definitely lose man-points there." Connor said.

Travis snorted. And you lose man points for getting chased by an angry girl with a flyswatter and going dateless."

"True, true." Elizabeth said. "Now, enough about you. What about me?" She demanded, twirling around. Her dress a deep, midnight blue, with a small sweetheart neckline. It went down to her shins, and had some black tulle at the bottom hem, and had a pretty bow off center in her front. Her dirty-blonde hair fell in long waves.

Connor's eyes narrowed. "Good. Almost too good."

"Too good?" Lizzy said, arching an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, if Derek falls out of line, we'll kick the crap outta him." Travis answered.

Lizzy rolled her eyes. "Whatever."

A knock sounded at the door, making her green-blue eyes light up. "He's here!" She hissed. "Don't embarrass me!"

Travis and Connor exchanged a look. They'd never seen their little sister act like this.

She opened her door to her son-of-Apollo date. "See ya, guys!" She called.

Travis and Connor glared at the boy, Derek, until he quickly walked away, arm-in-arm with Lizzy.

"Now, it's time to make my move." Travis announced with a smirk. With that, he let himself out of his cabin and over to the Demeter cabin.

A knock sounded at the Demeter cabin's door.

Katie quickly hurried to it, and despite her best efforts to stop it, her heart hammered in her chest.

She flung it open to see her escort, the one and only Travis Stoll, standing there, a stupid smile on his face.

His eyes widened as he saw her. "Hi." He said.

"H-hi." She answered sheepishly.

She was wearing a dress that was purple, which faded into light pink as it reached the floor. It had deep purple ribbons that crossed across her back twice, and a swirly pattern all over.

"This is for you." He said. He pulled a single red rose from behind his back and handed it to her.

"Thanks." She said, blushing like crazy. She took it from him, an gasped in pain. "Ouch!" She cried dropping it to the ground. "Freaking thorns!" She glared at her date. "You idiot, you're supposed to take them out before you give it to me!"

"Do you want me to kiss it and make it better?" He asked suggestively.

"Ugh! You're insufferable!" She said with a frown, as she marched past Travis, and out the door.

**~*Dinner Date~***

"Keep your voice down!" Katie hissed at Travis. "What if my mom hears you talking to me?"

"What are you so mad about? And what's wrong with me?" Travis demanded, crossing his arms over his chest.

"My mom would be so disappointed in me; I can do _so_ much better!" Katie said with a glare. She thumped him on the side of the head. "So don't act like we're going to the dance together!"

Travis winced, and hurt flashed across his eyes, but it was gone so fast she couldn't even be sure that it was there to begin with. "To bad, Katie-Kat, because when you agreed to go to the dance with me, you also said you would do all of the things other couples would do. Which includes talking to me, sitting with me at our dinner date, and dancing with me later tonight….."

"I will cut your tongue out if you finish that sentence like I think you will."

"…in between the sheets." Travis said with a smirk.

Katie was red-faced and shaking with anger.

"C'mon, babe, you know I had to, because you said I couldn't. But for the record, I was going to leave the sentence like it was. But, feel free to bite my tongue out." Travis winked.

"I did _not_ say I would bite your tongue out, I said I would _cut_ your tongue out!" Katie exclaimed, her fists clenched around her fork. Slowly, the fork began to bend as Katie squeezed it.

"Now now, Katie," Travis said, gently wrenching the fork from her hands. "No need to be harassing innocent silverware."

Katie let out a huge sigh. "Whatever. Let's just order, eat, and get out of here." She snatched a menu off of the table.

Currently, Travis and Katie were seated at a _fancy_ new restaurant that was built right on Half-Blood Hill, next to the forest called _Mount Olympus_. You had to have reservations to eat, and you had to have dressy clothes on to get in. It wasn't a particularly large place, but it wasn't a small place, either, like the McDonald's that was also built in Camp.

Travis knew for a fact that at _least_ 20 couples were enjoying a fine dinner date of Big Macs and Side Salads.

"I actually didn't think we'd be eating here." Katie admitted, scanning the menu of fancy foods.

"Oh?" Travis arched his eyebrows. "Where'd you think we would eat?"

"Somewhere off-camp." She said, finally deciding on her food.

Travis laughed loudly, which earned a lot of glares an shushes from people around them.

"What's so funny?" Katie asked.

"You didn't think we would be eating at Mickey D's. I'm touched."

Katie sighed and rolled her eyes as a slim, red-headed waitress appeared. "I'm Kandi, you're server for this evening." She batted her eyelashes. "What can I get you lovely folks?"

"Chicken Parmesan, and a glass of lemon water, please." Katie folded up her menu and handed it to Kandi.

"Hi, Katie." Kandi acknowledged her. Katie always delivered fresh fruits to the restaurant, especially the strawberries.

"Spaghetti and Meatballs, and a Coke." Katie gave him a look.

"What?" Travis tossed his menu at the young waitress.

Kandi scrambled to catch it to prevent it from hitting an elderly demigod nearby. "Coming right up!" With one last pointed look, she scurried away.

Katie smacked Travis on the arm. "You don't throw your menu at the waitress!"

"What? She caught it!" Travis shrugged.

Only a few minutes later, their food appeared. "Enjoy, and ring the silver bell if you need anything!" Kandi said with a smile. She left them as Travis started digging into his spaghetti, getting the sauce all over his face.

"Travis!" Katie groaned.

"Oh. Sorry." He reached for his napkin, beneath his glass of Coke.

"No!" Katie shrieked, gaining the attention of everyone in the restaurant.

Too late.

Travis yanked the napkin up, which sent his Coke spilling all over the table, splashing onto Katie's dress.

Meanwhile, while Katie was trying to reach out to grab his arm before he could pull the napkin, she hit her glass of lemon water, which splashed onto Travis's spaghetti in a title wave with enough force to make the sauce splash up onto his face.

Droplets of the lemon water went the other direction, however, and splashed into Katie's eyes.

"Burns!" She shrieked. Her flailing hands went to her eyes, and in the process he smacked her Chicken Parmesan and sent it flying to the table next to them. Her legs kicked out and hit the table, sending it falling to the ground.

Travis's empty glass shattered on the floor, particles of glass spraying up into his face, digging into his skin and sticking in the tomato sauce on his face. He stood up so quick, his chair went flying into the elderly lady behind him, resulting in her surprised face face-planting into her caviar.

People shrieked and screamed, ran and hid, and two large men in crisp suits picked up Travis and Katie and literally threw them out of the restaurant and down the hill, yelling out promises that they would be sending hefty bills and fines to each in good time.

**~*The Dance~***

"My dress is ruined!" Katie moaned onto Travis's shoulder. "Don't make me go in there!"

"Too late." Travis replied, his battered and cut-up face grim. He grabbed Katie's hand and pushed his way into the amphitheater.

The amphitheater was packed with people, Half-Bloods, Nymphs, Satyrs, Naiads, Gods, and others alike.

Of course, people did stare and whisper about them, but hey, they _were_ covered with cuts, spaghetti sauce, and Coke.

They'd cleaned themselves up as best they could, but there wasn't much else they could do.

And Travis wouldn't let this night be ruined.

"Dance with me." He said, spinning Katie around as _Fire Burnin' _by Sean Kingston came on. Cheers sounded all around as Travis spun Katie around again, then began to dance I time with the music, spinning Katie around occasionally, earning many laughs from his date.

Katie was grinning fit to bust, laughing as she danced. She forgot about everything as the song switched to _Sexy and I Know It _by LMFAO. She forgot about the cuts on her hands from Travis's rose. AS Travis switched to LMFAO's trademark "shuffle" alongside Katie, she forgot about the giant brown coke stain on her brand new, pretty, expensive prom dress. Then as she and Travis "wiggled", she forgot about the fact that her mom wouldn't be to happy to know that her prized daughter was dating a son of Hermes.

Oops.

"Katie." A hand with a faint, goldish-tint to it clamped onto Katie's shoulder.

Double oops.

"M-mother. I didn't see you." Katie stuttered.

Triple oops.

Demeter studied Katie's flushed face. "Having any fun?" She asked.

"Y-yes! Tonight's been…eventful. And fantastic." She added quickly.

Demeter studied Katie's scratched hands, then her ruined dress. "Olympus! What happened to you, Katie? You look like you cleaned out the pegasi stables then got ran over my a semi-truck.

"Gee, thanks, mother." Katie muttered.

"What?"

"Nothing. I said I just fell into a mud puddle."

"Well, did your date help you up?"

"Y-yeah. Of course." Katie said. Her eyes quickly flickered to Travis, who was standing motionless and off to the side, obviously trying not to be noticed.

Demeter gasped. "That…that _thing_ is your date? Katherine Yvonne Gardner, what is _wrong _with you?" Katie looked like she had just been slapped. "W-w-what?"

"_Olympus_." Demeter moaned, fanning her face. "Olympus! I will find that dirty rotten, good-for-nothing Hermes and teach him a lesson! And you!" She whirled around to face Travis. "_You_ will feel my wrath!" With that, the demigods turned away as she disappeared in a flash of light.

Travis looked at where Demeter was just standing, but saw nothing but a small pile of ash (someone or something probably watched her disappear) and his brother's back as her made out with a girl…but not just any girl. _Miranda. _She was dressed in a long white/silver dress with black tulle on top, and a thick, silver satin belt around her waist with a _large_ silver swirly broach on it. The seemed to have missed the exchange between Katie and Demeter.

_Katie._

He didn't even think about himself and the wrath he would soon face. He turned to face Katie.

All traces of the happy, dancing girl from earlier disappeared completely. She just stood there, staring at where her mother had just been, her lip quivering, tears pooling, shaking. He swept her into his arms. "Hey, now." He patted her back. "It's alright."

But it wasn't, and they both knew it. Our dear Travis felt horribly, _horribly_ guilty. And _guilt_ wasn't a word or feeling he was used to. And he didn't like it. One bit.

He made a pact to himself to Iris-Message Demeter in the morning to apologize and explain everything and tell her it wasn't Katie's fault.

"I'm sorry. I'm so, _so _sorry." Travis said.

Katie mustered a weak smile. "It's okay. And don't you dare say "No, it's not.""

Travis smiled as Katie rearranged herself in Travis' arms as _Flightless Bird, American Mouth _by a band she couldn't remember's name came on, so that they were in a slow-dance position. "I believe I still owe you a slow-dance."

Technically, she didn't, because that was a requirement for the bet, but Travis wasn't going to tell her that.

She stared into his eyes, and he stared back and they swayed with the music. However, the song ended shortly after, and they broke apart, looking around awkwardly, not quite sure of what to do next.

A large crystal bowl filled with a pink liquid caught Travis's eye. "Let's go get some punch." He suggested, pulling Katie along as they weaved around dancing groups and couples to reach the bowl.

Travis grabbed a cup and reached for the ladle when a thought drifted into his head. It was Connor, from earlier: _I'm gonna spike the punch as soon as they set it up. _

Before he could even react, a guy who had _clearly_ had more than his fair share of the spiked punch ran into Travis, who ran into the table, which jostled the bowl, which splashed a tidal wave of pink punch _all. Over. Katie. _

She was soaked to the bone, her hair sticky, her dress now the color of a dishrag that had mopped up some cherry Kool-Aid and coffee. Her perfume that she'd spritzed on earlier was replaced with the stanch of alcohol and faint cherry. Her hair was disheveled and clung to her face in messy uneven proportions. And her makeup was running and smudged.

"Sorry, dude." The guy slurred as he Dougied away from the scene of the crime.

Travis thought Katie was about to cry, when all of the sudden, she burst into laughter. She laughed for so long, and so loud that tears _did_ stream down her face. But not sorrowful tears.

She grabbed Travis's shoulders and smashed her lips onto his. The cup dropped out of his hand, forgotten, as his hands found their way to the small of her back as he kissed her vanilla-tasting lips back. Her hands crept into his hair.

.

.

.

.

Best. Dance. Ever.

**A/N: Done! Whew, that was the longest chapter I've ever written, in, like, anything, ever. So I hope you enjoyed! Please review and submit your wonderful ideas, people. After all, a reader's idea became the looong piece of work you just read.**

**Anyway, I know I'm supposed to say something, but I don't remember what….oh, well! Anyway, I finally updated, and sorry, this was more romantic than humorous, but I laughed a bit when writing some parts of this. But every good funny love story has romantic moments, too!**

**Also, Katie, Miranda, and Elizabeth's dresses will be posted as links on my profile her shortly, so check 'em out!**

**I also know that I planned on using lots of people's ideas in all my stories, but I've forgotten all about it, so sorry if it seemed like I brush any of yall off.**

**Review, my lovelies!**

**Read on and Rock out,**

**NinjaNakkiOfCabin11**


	5. E is for Evergreen Part I

**A/N: Oh, I feel awful. I haven't updated in more than a month! =O BUT, I also have an important announcement for you **_**Do, Re, Mi **_**fans: My other story, **_**Epic Fail**_**, is beating you guys out! Le gasp! =O See, in my head, there is a bitter rivalry between the Epic Fail fans and the Do, Re, Mi fans, and they are constantly trying to out-do each other. I know that's not really true, but this might motivate you: Updates come faster to my "Pride and Joy" story, and so far the top three competing for that title are: Epic Fail. Then, Do, Re, Mi. Then LOVE-EVOL. The way to bump your favorite story up to P&J is by Reading them and then Reviewing. The one with the most Reviews and Views by the end of December earns the title of my Pride and Joy. So, there you have it. =)**

**Someone requested E is for Ecstasy I decided to use it. I wrote like, half of it before deciding that it sucked monkey tails. SO, I had to use something else. I should be at, like, M is for Mistletoe, but because I haven't updated in forever, we have E is for…well, you'll see. =)**

**Ecstasy: The feeling of great joy. Related: Ecstatic. Thank you, Mr. Webster! XD**

**I don't own PJO, or anything else I don't own. =P**

E is for Evergreen- Part I

"C'mon, c'mon, c'mon!" Travis was practically bouncing up and down with excitement. "_Come on_!"

"I'm getting there." Katie Gardener-Stoll snapped, closing the door to their medium-sized, shared apartment. She shoved the key into the door and locked it, then turned to her soon-to-be husband. "Do we have to go it today? The roads are kind of icy. We can go get it first thing tomorrow…" She worriedly placed a gloved hand on her stomach.

"Yes! All of the good ones will be gone by tomorrow! I'll drive carefully, I promise!" Travis practically ran to the car, avoiding all of the particularly icy spots. Katie just stood there, staring at him.

With a sigh, Travis walked back to her, grabbed her hand, and dragged her over to the Mazda 3. "Let's go, h-" Katie glared at him.

"Sorry. Habit." He apologized sheepishly.

Katie just rolled her eyes and got in the passenger seat. Travis ran around to the driver's seat, but just as he reached for the door handle, he lost his footing on a patch of ice and fell to the hard concrete.

"Travis!" Katie exclaimed, looking out of the window to try and catch a glimpse of him.

"I'm good, I'm good!" He popped up, looking fine, if you don't count the large red scratch down his face, near his ear.

"Then let's go! If I miss _Nine Lives Of Chloe King _tonight, I will tie you to the damn tree then throw you out a window." "Oh, but my dearest, picking out a Christmas tree each year is, like, tradition. I'm sure even _you_ did that when you were little, even out in hick-country."

Katie glared daggers at him "What did I tell you?"

"Not to call Tennessee "hick-country"."

"Exactly."

"Sorry."

"No, you're not."

"Yeah, I'm not."

Travis peeled out of the drive before his fiancée could smack him.

~*~*~*~*~*P-A-G-E-T-O-T-H-E-B-R-E-A-K-~*~*~*~*~*~

"How 'bout this one?"

A pudgy, balding clerk pointed to a tiny, next to needle-less tree worthy of a Charlie Brown Christmas reenactment.

"Uhhh….." Travis started, exchanging a glance with Katie. "I don't think that's _the one_, ya know?"

Katie nodded in agreement.

"Alrighty then, folks. Moving on." He led them to a new row of trees. "Now, these here are yadda yadda yadda yuk yuk yak" Well, that's all Travis heard. Because his eyes had drifted over to the side, and he was staring at the most awesome thing he'd ever seen. Well, had seen this week.

This was the most awesome tree ever.

Like, the mother of all trees.

"That one. Right there. We'll take it." He pointed to the epic tree, interrupting the man mid-sentence.

"_Travis!_" Katie hissed. "That tree has got to be 15 feet tall!"

"We can just trim a little off the top." He shrugged.

"Um, uh, sir? That tree has been part of Dale's Tree Farm's landscape for over 50 years. It's still growing. It's not for sale." The man said.

"Oh, shut it lardass." Travis said nonchalantly. "Just take my money and give me the damn tree."

"Travis!"

"What?"

"Apologize to the man; we don't need that tree anyway! You know that I'm already against cutting down innocent trees, but since these are already cut, we have to save them!"

"Katie, this tree is _meant _for us!"

"My foot is _meant_ to kick your a-"

"Language, my dear!" Travis chided.

Katie glared at him. " I don't even want a tree to begin with, but if we must-"

"We must!"

More glares from Katie. "Then we will get a pre-cut one, because it has no chance of survival. So let's apologize to this poor man, pick out an already-cut tree, _one that isn't taller than a skyscraper_, pay, and get the heck out of here." She grabbed his hand and drug him over to the portly, balding salesman.

They stood in an awkward silence for a minute, before Katie elbowed Travis hard I the ribs. "Apologize." She hissed.

"Lawee." Travis mumbled incoherently.

"What was that, Travis?" Katie asked sweetly. "Speak up."

"Sorry." He grumbled again. Satisfied (or rather, knowing that was as good as she was going to get), Katie smiled at the man and politely asked to see another tree.

However, the man looked strangely…misty-eyed. "Of course." He sniffed. He selected another tree. "Now, this here is a tree!" He slammed it down on the asphalt, and the already needle-lacking tree went next-to-completely bare as pine needles showered everywhere.

With a sob, the man tossed the carcass to the side and let out a loud sob. "I can't do anything right!" He howled, throwing his arms around the couple. Travis immediately stiffened.

"I am not comfortable with this." He said to Katie, who's face was currently twisted into a mask of disgust.

"Ditto." She replied. The man just continued to blubber.

Travis started to move his shoulders up and down in an attempt to shrug the man off of him. "Dude. Dude. Dude!" He exclaimed, at last freeing himself from the man's grasp. He grabbed onto his fiancée's shoulder and began to extract her from the weird tree salesman. "Not cool!"

Katie finally stumbled back out of the danger-zone and into her betrothed's arms. "Seriously!" She agreed.

"No!" The man hiccupped, and blindly reached out with his arms for the youngsters.

"Dude! What's your problem?" Travis exclaimed, his arms circled protectively around Katie.

"Don't leeeeeaaave meeeee!" The man moaned.

Travis and Katie exchanged glances, then turned around to leave.

"_Please_!" The man lunged out and caught Travis around the waist.

Travis let out a scream and frantically tried to pry the man off.

Now, normally, our dearest Katie would find Travis's frantically shrieking and swatting hilarious, but because this was caused by a balding, portly, middle-aged man who currently was crying onto the back of Travis's jeans while his arms encircled his waist, she actually found it quite fitting.

"Help!" she shrieked, taking her brand-new, very expensive green Kate Spade purse and raised it threateningly above her head. She brought it down and it smacked the man right on his hairless head. He immediately let go of Travis and curled up into the fetal position on the ground.

Travis bounded over to Katie's side and shivered. "Violated." He whispered. "I feel so violated."

"We're leaving!" Katie announced, grabbing Travis's hand and whirling around.

"No! Please don't leave! You're….you're all I have!" The man bawled.

"I don't even know your name!" Travis exclaimed, clinging to Katie.

"Please." The man breathed, getting up and scrambling over to the couple. He was much to close for either's taste. "Nobody ever comes to me for help. You guys….you guys walked right through the gate and came right up to me. _Me!_"

That was the exact moment when both Travis and Katie instantly regretting asking this strange man.

"You were the only one there!" Katie exclaimed, edging away.

"And you chose me!" He exclaimed, his eyes shining.

"Um, erm, yeah. Because you were the only one there."

"You hold a special place in my heart!"

"Yeah. We're leaving now."

"YOU CAN'T!"

"Hey, Katie, I'm pretty sure I saw a Mike's Tree farm down the road a bit."

"That sounds perfect."

"TAKE ME WITH YOU!"

"_No!_" Katie said forcefully, smacking him again with her purse.

"YES!" The man exclaimed.

"Leave us alone!" Travis growled. He snatched Katie's hand and took off like a shot towards the Mazda 3 in the parking lot.

"Wait up!" The man pulled a set of car keys from his back pocket and made like to press an unlock button.

To bad for him, Travis, our quick little son of Hermes had already navigated the maze of trees and was approaching the car, pulling Katie along.

As they got in the car, another car about 3 spaces down lit up…..somewhat. IT was an old, rusty, poop-brown Oldsmobile with foggy lights, one of which was cracked, like someone had punched it. The paint was scratched, peeling, chipped, and rusty, despite its already God-awful color. The right back tire was flat, and two of the windows were cracked, another was shattered, and the windshield was covered in bird crap. It's front end was hanging unnaturally close to the ground, while the back bumper was duct-taped onto the car itself. On the bumper, barely peeking out under all the duct tape, was a bumper sticker. It read: _Middle-age, Middle-wage!_,but the _Middle-wage _was crossed out in black Sharpie. The side facing Katie and Travis was dent horribly bad, like it had been side-swiped a few times.

Travis peeled out of the lot, nearly running over a squirrel. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but I think I'm almost done tree shopping." He was ready to buy the next tree he laid eyes on, no matter how scraggly or small.

"Do we dare take on another tree farm?"

"Um, how 'bout Lowes instead?"

**A/N: Ooooh, no, we are NOT done yet! I just have to go, because I'm on the mini-laptop and my brother needs it. I'll post part 2 later this evening, I hope. Feliz Navidad, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukah (SP?), or whatever it is that you celebrate/say Merry Christmas! Eat good food, drink lots of eggnog, and unwrap magnificent presents, my friends! The rest of my incredibly long disclaimer and AN will be in part 2! Brave the cold, my little popsicles, if you have snow- I don't! I don't have a white Christmas, so if **_**you**_** have one, go and play for me, please? I Heart Y'all, see ya later!**

**Read on and Rock out,**

**NinjaNakkiOfCabin11**


	6. E is for Evergreen Part II

**A/N: Hola, hola, hola! I'm back with E is for Evergreen Part II, so let's get to it!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own PJO, Sharpie, Oldsmobile, Mazda, or any tree farms. Or Lowes.**

E is for Evergreen- Part II

"JIN-GLE. ALL. THE. WAAAAAYYYY!" Travis shouted off-key at the top of his lungs while his fiancée tried (and failed) to suppress laughter.

"Eyes on the road, Mister Presley." Katie laughed, swatting Travis from the passenger side seat.

"A-Thank you, Thank ya very much." Travis mock-bowed in an Elvis-like manner.

Katie turned and stared out the foggy window, a faint smile on her lips. Even she had to admit that this Christmas was going to be fun- after all, it _was_ her first with Travis.

Katie was broken out of her reverie as Travis exclaimed. He tugged on the wheel and slammed his foot onto the brake. The wheels locked up as they spun a 180 on a huge patch of ice on the slick road. With a shriek, Katie's hands flew to the seat as she hung on for dear life. A scream ripped out of her throat as her life flashed before her eyes.

"Katie!" Travis hollered, the shocks on the car groaned, the brakes and tires squealed, and Katie screamed as the car flipped and flew into the nearby ditch.

~*~*~P~*A~*G~*B~*R~*E~*A~*K~*~*~*~

"Travis! _Travis, God dammit, answer me!_" Katie screeched, clawing uselessly at the twisted metal that trapped her fiancé within. "Travis!" She sat back on her knees and cried helplessly.

Wait a second.

Helplessly?

_Help_lessly.

_Help_.

She stood up on shaky legs and scrambled up the side of the hill (ditch). It was straight up, and Katie's fingers were already damaged and bleeding from her digging her way out of the destroyed car. They were freezing from the cold, and a jolt of pain shot up her right leg every time she put weight on it. But she had to try. For Travis, lying in a shell of a car in a ditch far away from help. For Travis, who was undoubtedly unconscious and hurt. For Travis, possibly…dead. She could hardly stand to think of it. _Travis_.

She stuck her hand into the looming wall of snow, ignoring the shock of the cold, and then stuck her foot it, wincing as again pain shot up her leg. It quickly became unbearable, and she collapsed, defeated.

She crawled over to the large green Christmas tree, lying off to the side, bits of blue rope still tucked into it's branches where Travis had tied it to the top of their car.

She hiccupped and brushed away a tear.

"Obviously, the cold air's getting to you." A familiar voice sounded from behind her.

Katie whipped around to be met with a familiar smirk. She sat in stunned silence for a minute then stood up slowly, shakily, one hand on the fallen tree.

"Wh-what….what?" Katie stuttered.

"What what?"

"What…what…how are you here?"

"Um…same as you?"

"No dip, Sherlock! I….I just thought….."

"Thought what? That I was dead? Trapped?" Travis frowned slightly. "Your lack of faith in my skills wounds me, Katie-Kat, really."

"Your…skills?"

"Yes, my skills! I'm a son of Hermes, escaping unscathed is my specialty. Well, one specialty among _many_ others." He grinned and waggled his eyebrows suggestively.

Katie angrily smacked him on the shoulder. How dare he pop up out of nowhere, perfectly fine, and act as though they hadn't both just almost _died_? And _joke_?

"This isn't funny!" She roared.

"Never said it was!" He defended, raising his hands up in an _I surrender _gesture.

Katie began to pace, keeping the weight off of her right leg in an amusing way, ignoring Travis completely. She had totally gotten over the fact that he was perfectly fine rather quickly. "What are we going to do?"

"Well, I don't think we are going to drive anywhere…" Travis trailed off, looking at the mangled car.

Katie stared at him, and much to her embarrassment, began to cry. "What if you did die?" She cried, tears streaming over her cold face.

Travis's face softened, and he walked over to Katie and attempted to comfort her. "But I didn't. We are both okay."

"What if _I_ had died? Then you would have lost both of us!" Katie hiccupped. Travis's face paled, the blood draining from his face.

"You didn't." He whispered.

_Get a hold on yourself. _Katie scolded herself. _He's right. Forget what has already happened; you're alive. Now to stay that way, you need to get it together and get help._

Katie wiped the tears off of her face and pulled away from Travis's embrace. She held out her hand. "Give me your cell phone. I lost mine." She said.

By now, Travis was used to Katie dramatic mood changes. He pulled his phone out of his pocket; it had a crack down the screen, but it would still work. He placed it in Katie's waiting palm and stepped back to give her space.

She powered it on with a grimace. She really tried not to use cell phones for fear of monsters, but nearly every demigod carried one around (kept off, of course) in case of emergency.

And she assumed that this counted as an emergency.

Quickly, she punched in a number.

"Hullo?" A foggy voice sounded.

"Miranda!" Katie let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. "I'm so, _so _glad you're home!"

"Katie? Oh, I thought this was Travis…"

"I'm using his phone. I….erm, _lost _mine."

"Oh."

"Yeah. Well, according to the GPS thingy-mabob on this phone, I'm currently on Route 607 in Bloomsville, about 4 and half miles down from Tucker's Truckstead. Can you come get us?"

"Tucker's Truckstead? Ooh, that place has _amazing _ribs! …..Wait a minute. Why are you on Route 607? Are you _hitchhiking_?"

"Um…..well, I'm actually ditch-hiding…"

"_Ditch-hiding?"_

"…Yeah."

"What the _Hell _is ditch-hiding? Wait, let me guess- Travis said something about how when he was a kid, he and Connor _always_ did this ditch-hiding thing, and it's _so_ fun, and maybe you should do it. And you did, but then you got lost. Correct?"

"Umm…not exactly. Travis and I actually made it up ourselves." Katie lied smoothly.

"…No. No way."

"Yeah. And, um, we're kind of….stuckish."

"Stuckish?"

"…yes?…."

Katie heard Miranda groan. "How did you get _stuckish_?"

"Well, I climbed into this one ditch, then when I tried to get out of it, I realized that I couldn't. Then, when Travis tried to help me, he fell in, too. So will you come get us?"

Suddenly, Travis plucked the phone from Katie's grasp and put it to his ear. "Miranda? Hey, yeah, are you with Connor? Beast. Will you put him on for me?"

Katie gave his a strange look as Travis was waiting for his brother to talk.

"What?" He asked. "You guys were taking too long, and I don't know about you, but I'm freezing."

Katie just rolled her eyes. Duh.

"Hey, C-Man, wassup?" Travis said into the phone. "Yeah. Yeah. Sure. I don't think so. Yeah. Good idea. Absolutely, good thinking. The rubber chicken. No, off-white. More stuff inside. Totally." He laughed. "Yes, bring it, too. And the wrench." He eyed the ditch. "And some rope. Lots of rope. We need the rope." He nodded in satisfaction. "Awesome! Yeah, Gizzard-Licker Diner. Ha! No, no…the other one! Beehive! Yeah!" He chuckled, then looked up at the sky. "Parkas, please. Yes! I'm sorry. I hate you." He frowned, then paused, then grinned. "I love you! You too. Yeah. See ya. Jackknife." He hung up and powered the phone off. He shoved it into his pocket, then turned to Katie. "Help is on the way, my love."

~*~*~*~*~*~*Pagebreak!~*~*~*~*~*~

Fortunately, the only monster that appeared was an old, slow Fury. They (Travis) easily defeated it, then they (Travis) pushed the Christmas tree back a little bit farther so they (Travis) had enough room to build a snowman.

Which was what they (Travis) were doing when they (Travis) got the phone call with the bad news: Connor could only find "the yellow one", which apparently would either seriously postpone or cancel the entire rescue mission. Katie was completely confused, but Travis was appalled.

After Travis hung up and put the phone away, and they (Travis) defeated a gorgon, they decided to take action themselves.

Which led to….well, you'll see.

~*~*~*~*~*~Keyboard Spazzzz!*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Get in."

"No!"

"Come on, Katie!"

"No! Absolutely not!"

"Katie, it's our only shot!"

"I'd rather take that shot through my brain!"

"Please!"

"Not happening."

"For me?"

"_Definitely_ not happening."

"Babe….if I have to force you to get it, I will."

"I'll snap your femur."

"It's the only way! We will most definitely die if we don't!"

"And most definitely die if we do!"

"So it's a lose-lose situation- so let's take a chance! At least if you die this way, it will be quick, and you won't suffer like if you stay here."

"…..fine." Katie grudgingly got into the car. Yes, _that_ car. The mangled one that was in even worse condition than that old hunk of junk the man-baby from the tree farm drove.

Travis slid into the driver seat, careful to avoid places where he might have missed a few pieces of glass.

After a few slams, he managed to get the key into the ignition. He turned it and after a bunch of sputters and a clod of black smoke, the car (somewhat) came to life.

_Th-thump. Th-thump. Th-thump._

At least two of the car's tires (the front right, the back left) were completely junk, flat and popped. He managed to chug the car around and up hill, but about halfway to the top, the steep hill became too much for the little, piece-of-crap foreign car, and they collapsed under the strain and parts flew everywhere, and they rolled back down the hill.

"No!" Travis angrily slammed his fist on the steering wheel. It let out a pitiful, little _ree-eep._

Then promptly fell off into his lap.

"Damn it!" Travis yelled, taking the steering wheel and literally kicking the door right off it's hinges. He threw the steering wheel into the woods, screaming profanities and kicking everything he could while Katie just sat in silence in the front seat.

Soon, Travis grew silent as he plunked down onto the fallen Christmas tree. Katie got out of the hunk of metal and made her way to him. "Hey. It's okay." She awkwardly patted his arm. "You tried. It was a good idea, though,"

"You're just saying that."

"Yeah, I am." Katie admitted. "It was bound to fail."

"Katie, your lips are turning blue. Come here." Travis patted his lap.

"I'm not going to sit on your lap."

"If you don't wanna turn into a popsicle, you will." Travis chided, patting his lap invitingly again.

With a sigh, she plopped down on his lap. He encircled his arms around her and nuzzled her neck. "See, isn't this more warm and cozy?" He asked.

"Yes." Katie admitted sheepishly. "The worst part is, we just spent hours looking for the perfect tree, and got molested by a creepy fat man, and now the tree has hunks missing and we won't be able to take it with us." She let out a sigh. "We wasted, like, our whole Saturday."

"Katie?"

"Yes?"

"It's Tuesday."

"_Whatever!"_

Travis sighed and scanned their surroundings for the fifty millionth time. And, once again, his gaze drifted over to the area right behind his snowman, Mr. Snoffles. He had a feeling that that area could be really useful, but he wasn't sure how.

"Hey Kates?" He interrupted Katie, who was in the middle of a rant about how she was missing _Chloe King _and was going to die of a stupid Christmas tradition.

"What?" She snapped.

"What if we walk further down, until we find a place that isn't so steep, so we can climb up?" He asked.

"Which way?"

"That way." Travis pointed. "Behind Mr. Snoofles."

They both got up and walked over to the smallish opening in the trees. Katie grabbed her fiancé's hand as they trudged through the shin-deep snow.

~*~*~*~*~*~*WowMyCatIsSoFluffy!~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Well, it took a while, and they (Travis) walked a long time, but eventually, they found an easily accessible ditch side to climb up.

Travis set Katie down. Do you think you can walk up the hill by yourself? Or should I carry you?" He asked, still holding her hand.

"I can do it." She replied with a yawn.

Hand-in-hand, they climbed up the hill to safety, together.

~*~*~*~*~*~MyNewTyeDyeShirtIsSoTrippy!~*~*~*~*~*~

As far as Katie was concerned, her small box old Michael Jackson CDs that she kept tucked under her bed at home go could burn in the embers of a hobo's trashcan. For the past hour, all she had heard was MJ song after MJ song after MJ song. She sitting on a cracked leather seat that smelled like beef jerky in the cramped front seat of a semi-truck driver's cabin. Even the trucker's radio had been silent for a while.

You see, after Travis and Katie climbed out of the ditch, a white semi-truck pulled over and it's driver had offered them a ride to the nearest rest stop. Which, unfortunately, was about and hour or so away from the pick-up spot.

But, she guessed Travis was worse off.

While Katie was smashed against the passenger side door, Travis was sitting in the middle of the seat, in between his fiancée and the driver.

The driver looked about his mid-forties early-fifties, and sported a gray and white beard. He had a red flannel shirt on, and he wore an old farmer's ballcap. A toothpick hung out of the side of his mouth. He'd introduced himself as Wayne, a lover of Michael Jackson.

Wayne hadn't really even acknowledged Katie, except to give her a dirty look when Travis introduced her as in so-to-be-wife. But he'd been all over Travis, peppering him with odd questions, calling him "boy", and making him feel rather awkward and uncomfortable.

"Well, boy, yer stop's approachin'." Wayne said. He placed his large hand on Travis's leg.

"Uh, yeah." Travis said, shrinking back against Katie, trying to get as far away from the man as humanly possible.

"That's too bad." Wayne said, as the truck rolled into a lot. His hand slid further up Travis's leg.

"Um. I guess." Travis turned to Katie, his face reading: _Open the godsdamned door._

The truck completely stopped now. Wayne unbuckled his belt and rotated completely to face Travis. "Alrighty, there, boy. I wish ya didn't hafta go." His hand touched the side of Travis's face.

Katie unlatched the door and hopped out, not bothering to say thanks for the ride.

Travis bolted out, too. He bent down to pick up Katie's lipstick tube that'd fallen out of her purse when she jumped out.

Wayne whistled. "Damn, boy."

Travis grabbed Katie's hand and pulled her towards the phone. They stopped in time to turn around to see Wayne singing along to "Beat It".

"AOW!" Wayne shrieked along with MJ, pointing upward with one hand, and the other grabbed his crotch, mimicking Michael's trademark dance move.

The truck pulled out of the lot and onto the highway, revealing an old, piece-of-crap car that had pulled in.

The fat man-baby.

"I have this for you! FOR YOOOOUUU!" He cried, pointing at a huge piece of greenery tied haphazardly to the roof of his car.

"Holy shit!" Katie cried. It was the epic tree from the lot at Larry's. This guy had cut it down, then, seemingly cut it almost in half. It was a tree-square.

~*~*~*~*~*~*ImHungryFeedMe!~*~*~*~*~*~

And so, Travis and Katie did have a tree for their first Christmas together.

And they also got a new car.

And, the orphanage got a anonymous donation of Michal Jackson CDs.

And a fat, emotional man got a letter in the mail announcing that a restraining order had been placed on him.

**Yeah, I know, I feel awful for not updating. But things have been off, like you would not believe. I'll post another for a late V-Day soon.**

**Read on and Rock out,**

**NinjaNakkiOfCabin11**

**=)**


	7. F is for Forever Alone Day

**A/N: Feel free to throw bricks at my face for not update in for-freaking-ever. And I even said I was posting more soon! I know, I know. Feel free to throw more bricks. But my hiatus shan't continue, as it is Summer, and my dance recital happened, so now I have time for updates! =D I also apologize for how E is for Evergreen wasn't a drabble. I may replace it later down the road, and post the current one as a two-shot.**

**I don't own PJO. Or Converse.**

F is for Forever Alone Day

"Yo, Kates!" Two feet jumped down on the plant Katie was watering, effectively showering her face with dirt.

"Ugh!" Katie groaned, annoyed. She rubbed the dirt out of her eyes and looked up at the person grinning down at her. "What the _Hell_ do you want _now_, Travis?"

"I wanted to inform you that I have decided to grace you with my presence tonight, love."

Katie arched an eyebrow. "Travis…" She slowly, as if she was talking to two-year-old. "I do _not _want you _anywhere_ near me for an _entire night_."

"Katie, my lovely love, do you not understand? Don't you know it's _Valentine's Day?_"

Oh, yes. Katie _did_, in fact, know that it was Valentine's Day. In fact, she awoke today to squeals from various siblings about romantic plans they had in mind, or shrieks over the discovery of gifts placed under pillows in the night. Katie knew immediately what day it was- Forever Alone Day- and, after several sad, lonely moments, Katie decided to try her luck by looking for a gift from her non-existent beau. She felt under her hand, and was shocked to find there was something there. She then felt pain and annoyance as she pricked her finger on the gift. She had pulled it out and rolled her eyes. It was a rose- kind of. Because the actual rose itself was gone, completely, so it was pretty much a stick with thorns.

"You received my gift, right, my lovely love lovely?" Travis asked with a grin as she stood up, swiping the dirt off of her jeans.

"You know, the thought alone that you were in my cabin while I was sleeping, next to me, with your hand under my pillow- _while I was lying on it_- is enough to give me nightmares for a month." Katie shot at him with a glare.

"Too bad I don't care." He shrugged. He looped his arm through hers and pulled her out of the gardens. "You shouldn't be working, my lovely lovely love love. Everyone has the day off of everything, for the big V-Day." He grinned at her. I will be at your cabin at 12:00 sharp, to pick you up. Wear something pretty." He started walking away from her when he stopped and looked over his shoulder. "Not that you aren't pretty in everything you wear, Katie-Kat." With a cheeky grin, he left a furiously blushing Katie abandoned at her cabin.

~*~Wow*~It Is*Late!~*~

Twelve o'clock sharp, Kronos's ass. It was 12:30, and Katie, dressed in a flowy, floral tank top and skinny jeans and grey boots, was waiting impatiently in her cabin.

"If he doesn't show up in five minutes, I will change and go back to gardening." She told herself, biting her lip.

12:31 came around. He wasn't there.

12:32, and still no Travis

12:33. No Travis.

12:34 rolled 'round. Katie was solo.

And right at 12:35, Katie had finally decided that he was just playing her, and was about to pull off her pretty top to replace it with the common camp shirt when a knock sounded from the door. "Kitty-Kat!" Travis called through the door. "It's me!"

Katie resituated her shirt, smoothed her hair and rolled her lips again, making sure they were perfectly lip-stained. The quickly walked to the door and opened it to see Travis Stoll in remarkably clean dark wash jeans, a light blue button down, and a pair of his signature black Converse hi-tops. He grinned at her. "You look hot."

She smiled a little, blushing a tad. "You aren't too bad yourself." She said, than immediately thought, _I just said that. Holy shit, I just complemented him._

Well, at least she was being honest. He really did look quite smashing.

He grinned at her again and looped his arm through hers and started guiding her towards the lake. "Sorry I took so long…..I had some stuff to take care of." He shrugged.

Katie rolled her eyes. "Mm-Hmm." Suddenly, her brow furrowed. "Travis, are you seriously taking me to the lake? Like practically every other couple in camp?"

Travis scoffed and looked offended. "I am so much more creative than that, my lovely love lovely love love."

Katie frowned at him, but before she could comment, he had a hand clamped over her eyes. "Shhh. We're almost there." He whispered. He guided her along, catching her every time she stumbled over a log or rock, because of her temporary blindness (compliments of Travis himself.)

"Okay." He breathed into her ear. "We're here." He pulled his hand away from her eyes.

Katie's eyes nearly bugged out of her head. They were in the forest, but on the edge so that they could look out across the Sound. There was a blanket on the ground, and a picnic basket on that. There was a tall, skinny blue vase with a daisy in it. "Travis.." She whispered. She turned to him. "You did all of this?"

He smiled- honest to God _smiled_, not smirked- and looked at the ground, shuffling his feet nervously. "Um, well….yeah. Do you…like it?" He asked.

"I love it! Thank you." She smiled, making her way to the blanket where she sat down. He sat down next to her, and they looked out across the lake.

"You're welcome, lovely love lovely love love lovely."

"Stop that!"

"Stop what?" "That whole "lovely love lovely" thing! This morning, you called me "love", and ever since, you've tacked on an extra "love" or "lovely" every time!"

"Oh."

Silence ensued. Finally, Katie decided to shatter it. "So, um, Travis….picnic?" She asked, gesturing to the basket next to her.

"Yeah! Oh, let me just…." He fumbled. He grabbed the basket and opened it's lid. "Um, Kates?"

"Mmm?"

"I, uh, don't have the food…."

"...what?"

"Yeah. I, uh, kind of forgot to pack it and I feel bad about it." Travis scratched the back of his neck apologetically.

"Travis! You brought the basket, but forgot to fill it?"

"Uh, something exactly like that…I have a spoon, though." He lifted it up.

Much to his surprise, Katie only started laughing. "What's so funny?" Travis asked, genuinely confused.

"This! Something was bound to happen. You pack a beautiful picnic, only to realize you only brought a _single spoon_. It's just so _you_, Travis. This has become the norm for you. I'm not even that surprised anymore."

"Aw, that's no fun."

She only giggled. He quietly grabbed her hand. Katie didn't try to pull away.

She wasn't even sure that she wanted to.

They sat in more silence for a little bit longer. Only this time, it was Travis who interrupted it. "Hey, Katie? What are we?"

"Demigods….?"

Travis shook his head. "Yeah, I know that. I meant, what are _we_?" He gestured to the two of them.

"….friends?" Katie tried, testing the waters after catching his meaning.

"Oh." Travis said, looking across the water.

But, my friends, Travis wasn't going to give up that easy..

He turned to her. "But we kiss. And go on dates. Like this."

Katie blushed a bit. "Well, we don't kiss all the time, only once or twice. And we've only been on this date….and the dance."

"So, does that make us a…._we_?"

"What?"

"Jesus, Katie, are we dating or not?"

"Oh." Katie said after a pregnant pause. "Um." She played with the hem of her shirt. "I…..guess so?"

"You guess so?"

"No! No! I know so." She corrected herself.

Travis smiled largely at her. "Does this mean I can kiss you now, whenever I want?"

Katie only answered with a light kiss.

"Happy Valentine's Day, Katie." Travis whispered, his forehead against hers, an-honest-to-God smile on his face.

Katie smiled, too. "You should smile more often. It looks good on you." She kissed him again. "Happy Valentine's Day, Travis."

She knew word would spread fast, as word often did in Camp Half-Blood. She knew that in the morning, several would be questioning her sanity- herself among those people. But at the moment, she was ridiculously, wondrously, unquestionably happy.

And that was good enough for her.

**A/N: Meh. Well, an updates an update, right? At least they started dating. Could you leave your input in a review…? Did anyone catch my casual Llamas With Hats reference? I love you all- and I'M BACK, BABY!**

**Read on and Rock out,**

**NinjaNakkiOfCabin11 =)**

**P.S. Did you see the new cover I made for this story? Do you like it? More reasons to leave a review, no? ;)**


	8. B is for I'm a Big Bag of DicksAN sorry

**Entirely Overdue Author's Note in Which I Beg for Your Forgiveness and Grovel at Your Feet For Help:**

Hey guys, long time no see, eh? It's been YEARS. Like, literally years. And now I'm back. I am so, SO freaking sorry for leaving you guys like I did. Please, please forgive me? And I really, really want to continue this story:)

But, see, the problem is, I don't remember what direction this story was going to take. I don't remember any of the details or any of my ideas. Also, I don't even know if people still READ this, or even LIKE it. I'll be honest, I've reread this stuff, and JESUS. CRINGING ALL OVER THE PLACE. Some of this is really, really bad. But some of it's good. And I'm pretty sure all of my old friends and readers aren't active anymore:(

But I'm willing to give this another try, yeah? Because if you ARE still around, you guys at least deserve a little bit of closure. So here are your options:

1. I do NOTHING with this story. I leave it be, as it is now, and just don't touch it anymore. I can leave it alone and you guys can just draw your own conclusion(s) for it.

2. I rewrite. I'll try to salvage the good parts, and I'll keep the main idea….I'll just rewrite and execute it better. Again, THE CENTRAL IDEA WILL REMAIN THE SAME. Same plot, same characters, better writing.

3. I DON'T rewrite the already existing chapters, just leave them be, and then add on new chapters with better writing. I'll just continue on with the story as if I never even left.

4. Maybe just delete the damn thing. I dunno.

And that's that. So. I'm really, really glad to be back. So even if you DON'T like this story, please drop me a review or a PM with which option you think I should take and/or any ideas you may have concerning the story. This note has been posted on almost ALL of my stories, with the exception of a few that are either complete or that I already know what I'm doing with. If that sentence even made sense. Whatever. But on most of my stories, I need your help. Tell me what direction I should take, 1, 2, or 3. Or even 4.

Thank you guys sooo much for sticking by if you have, or for reading if you're new. I love you guys so much. SO MUCH.

Read on and Rock out,

NinjaNakkiOfCabin11


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